


A Stone Heart

by Ramblingandpie



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Engagement, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 08:51:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18427172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ramblingandpie/pseuds/Ramblingandpie
Summary: Ryder begins collecting heart-shaped stones for Suvi. Kallo misunderstands what's going on.





	A Stone Heart

It started on Havarl. Ryder was scanning some plants and taking samples so the botanists could compare the changes since the Vault had activated. A glint caught her eye.

The rock was small, about half the length of her thumb, and smooth. It had some sparkling mineral embedded in it. What kept her attention, though, was the shape. Whatever had worn it smooth had done so in roughly the shape of a heart.

She slipped it into her pocket and resumed her task.

***

“I picked up something for you,” she said casually, as they ate dinner on the bridge.

“Ooooh, a surprise?” Suvi inquired, quickly swallowing her mouthful of food to do so.

Ryder nodded. She had carried the rock with her for a few days, not quite sure what to do with it, transferring it to the pocket of whatever she happened to be wearing at the time.

“Should I close my eyes?”

Ryder hadn't been planning to ask that, but went along with it. “And put out your hand.”

Suvi shut her bright blue eyes and held out one hand. Ryder pulled the stone from her pocket and gently placed it in the outstretched hand.

Suvi rubbed her thumb over its surface, eyes still closed, and rolled the rock around a few times.

“It's nothing major,” Ryder said, feeling unexpectedly sheepish about her gift.

Suvi smiled. “I love it,” she said, opening her eyes. She took her time examining the stone from all angles. “It looks like an unusual composition. I'm not sure what these flakes are?” She said, picking at the rock with her thumbnail. “Did you want me to run an analysis on it? I'd be more than happy to-”

Ryder smiled. “Take a wider look, hun,” she said.

Suvi frowned for a moment as she rolled the stone around a few more times. Eventually it ended up oriented with the rounded point towards her wrist and the two gentle curves towards her fingers. She grinned.

“I get it now,” she said. “It's perfect.” She leaned over and kissed Ryder on the cheek.

Suvi placed the rock in a visible spot at her workstation. Her smile lasted all the way through dessert.

***

Ryder's pocket felt empty. Even though she'd only carried the stone for a few days, it was like her hand was expecting to find it each time she absentmindedly put it in her pocket.

She picked up the next stone on Eos. It was striated, and sharper than the last, but the way the stone has cleaved revealed an angular heart.

She let it roll around in her pocket for a few days before she found an opportunity while Suvi was away from the bridge to place it next to the first. She said nothing and went back to work.

A few hours later, Suvi bounced up, grinning ear to ear, wordlessly planted a deep kiss on Ryder's lips, and turned around again to return to the bridge.

Ryder grinned. No-one could say she didn't know how to please her girlfriend.

***

Over the next few months, the collection of rocks grew. It also included a few non-mineral specimens, such as the fist-sized knotted piece of tree root Ryder had found on Kadara, but they surrounded Suvi as she worked.

One day, Kallo asked to speak with both Suvi and Ryder in the conference room. It seemed an unusual request, but they were happy for a break from routine.

Kallo stood where Ryder usually did when she had large meetings to run.

“What's this about, Kallo?” Suvi asked.

Kallo grinned. “At first, I was very frustrated with all of the stones around the bridge. As you well know.”

Suvi blushed. There had been several conversations about her collection, but Kallo had stopped bringing it up in the past few weeks.

“But I did my research. There is a wide variety in human courtship rituals and I was not familiar with this one. I understand that giving stones is showing a commitment of pair-bonding and that it is customary for friends to give a present. I just wish you'd told me.”

Ryder began to speak, but Kallo held up a hand. “No arguments. I found that decorative containers are a customary gift.”

He pulled a basket from under the table. It was about a foot in diameter, shallow, and had a multitude of colors of dried reeds woven throughout.

“So I got you a basket from Aya to put your rocks in.”

Suvi balled her hands into fists and rubbed them against her cheeks, clearly overcome with emotion. “Kallo. That is so kind of you.”

“Thank you, Kallo. But-” Ryder began, and Suvi cut her off.

“May I hug you?”

“I did prepare for that.” He held out his arms and Suvi gave him a tight squeeze around his torso.

She let go after a few moments. “The stones that Ryder brought me were presents. They're not actually, um, what we could call an engagement gift. That's usually a ring with a special stone. But I can see how this could look like that.”

Ryder took a deep breath. She peered around and saw that a few other crewmembers had gathered around.

And, well. The setup was there. No point wasting it.

“Suvi's right, Kallo. It was incredibly sweet of you to get us a gift. But, um, the engagement stone is usually a little bit more like…” she reached into her pocket, and pulled out the small packet, made of broad folded leaves, that she had been carrying around since their last trip to Aya. It had taken some work to find an Angaran artisan who would fashion it, but between Jaal and the Moshae's connections, she had managed.

She cleared her throat and knelt.

“Well. It's something like this.” She unfolded the packet.

“Suvi? I know we've talked about it a bit and you don't have to answer now, and it's kind of sudden, but-”

“Oh shut it, Ryder.” Ryder's eyes grew wide. “The answer is yes. No need to draw it out. Yes.”

Ryder hadn't realized she could grin so wide that her cheeks would immediately hurt, but there she was. Suvi took Ryder's hands in her own.

Ryder didn't hear the cheering of the crew as she slid the ring onto Suvi's finger. Suvi held her hand up and admired the filigreed metal.

She pulled Ryder to her feet and into a deep kiss.

In the background, Kallo whispered to Gil, “does this mean I should get another basket?”

“Nah, mate, I think you're good.”


End file.
